Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky is planned to travel to Washington later today to meet with President Donald Trump and sign the mineral rights deal. The two parties came to an agreement over the deal after stiff opposition from President Zelensky over the deal’s initial terms. President Zelensky rejected attempts by US officials to secure a deal at the Munich Security Conference and rebuffed another attempt last week during meetings in Kyiv attended by Keith Kellogg and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Zelensky reportedly shouted so loudly at the Treasury Secretary that he was heard by journalists waiting outside the room. The deal was eventually modified to provide Ukraine with better terms and also guarantees for further US weapons deliveries.
The mineral rights deal is purely transactional and does not involve political or security concessions. The United States is still holding bilateral talks with Russia with the aim of restoring diplomatic relationships.
President Trump met with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer yesterday at the White House and praised President Zelensky during a press conference. He also said that “he couldn’t believe” he said that Zelensky was a dictator. When asked about Ukraine reclaiming its lost territory, President Trump spoke about the possibility of Ukraine regaining both land and maritime areas, marking a shift in his position after previously stating that Russia would retain all the land it currently occupies in Ukraine.
Newsroom
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